Tread for stairs, &amp; c.



No. 638,666. Patented nee'. 5, |899;

F. w. HuEsns.

TREAD FUR STAIRS, 86e.

(Application 1e`d Jan. 8, 1899.) (No Modem 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

5 ,ggf d! v 60 a5 af nu. 636,666. Patenten |166. 5, |699. y F. w. HuEsns.

TBEAD FORSTAIBS 81.0.

(Application med Jan. a, 1999.) 1 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shui 2.

MAMMA/m6610132 d! 173912411 V1 V1 V1 V1 NM `with the undercut edges of the wear-points,

IINTTED STATES FREDERICK IV. I'IUESTIS, OF BOSTON,

PATENT OFFICE.

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE TREAD FOR STAIRS, 840.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,666, dated December 5, 1899.

Application tiled January 3, 1899. Serial No. 700,902. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. HUES- TIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massacl1usetts,have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Treads for Stairs, Pavements, the., of which the following isa specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a portion of a sheet-metal plate havingintegral wear-pointforniing portions which are adapted to be hentoutwardly from the plate and are shown with undercut edges and perforations through their body portions. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the plate shown in Fig. 1 after the wearpoint-forming portions are bent outwardly to form wear-points by providing a multiplicity of wear-points. Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the plate after it is combined with strips of non-slipping material interlocked with the plate, the non-slipping material and combined wear-points alternating with strip-like portions of the sheet-metal plate. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail on line 4 4 of Eig. 3 and shows the non-slipping material interlocked with the wear-points and body of the sheet-metal plate by engagement of the non-slipping material by engagement with the orifices in the sides of the wear-points, and by engagement with the back or nn'der sides of the plate, the'nonslipping material passing through the holes formed in the plate by the striking up of the wear-points. Fig. 5 is a sectional View at line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Figs. 6 to 15, inclusive, illustrate modifications, Fig. 6 being a top plan View of a sheet-metal plate formed with wearpoints Whose apices are narrower than their bases instead of being wider than their bases, as in the preferred construction. Fig. 7 is a side View of the sheet-metal plate shown in Fig. G. Fig. 8 is a sectional View on line 8 8 of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is a sectional View of a treadplate like that shown in Fig. 6, to be wholly covered and interlocked with non-slipping material. This sectional View, so far as the plate itself is concerned, is taken on line 9 9 of Fig. 6. Fig. lO is an end View of Fig. 6. Fig. 11 is a top plan View of another form of sheet-metal plate cut to form Wear-points.

Fig. 'l2 is a side elevation of the sheet-metal plate shown in Eig. 11 after the wear-points have been bent outwardly from the body of the plate. of Fig. 1l. Fig. 14 is a top plan View of the plate illustrated in Figs. 1l, 12, and 13, combined with n0n-slipping material arranged in parallel rows, alternating with uncovered portions of the plate. Fig. 15 is a sectional View 6o on line 15 15 of Fig. let.

The objects of my invention are to cheapen the cost of prodnelion of stair and pavement treads made np of a hard-metal plate combined with non-slipping material on thetreadsurfaces and to make such treads in such a way that thediterent kinds ot' metal on the tread-surfaces will wear more evenly than heretofore and at the saine time be of lighter weight and give an improved foothold.

In the drawings illustrating the principle of niyinvention and the best mode now known to me of applying that principle, CL is a plate, preferably of sheet metal, on the upper surface of which there are stamped up the integral Wear-points a', which in this preferred construction aredisposed in straight lines, as shown, each pair of wear-points being separated bythe strip-like portions a2 of the plate. The Wear-points are preferably at right an- 8o gles to the plate, and the plate is provided with any suitable means for interlocking it With the non-slipping material. Preferably the wear-plates are formed with holders a3 at their sides for the non-slipping metal, and the non-slipping metal engages these holders to interlock the plate and said metal. The holders may be projections or apertures. This plate is preferably of steel, readily formed in power or other presses or by hand by the use 9o of suitable punches, as will be plain to all skilled in the art without further description. Thegwear-points ct are integral at their bases Wit-h the body of the plate and may bev either inclined or vertical, as preferred. I prefer to make them Vertical, as shown, in order to secure the greatest length of wear-points in a tread of given thickness. When the wearpoiuts a are punched up, the holes a4 are thereby formed through the body of plate d, me

and when the lead composition or other nonslipping material b is on the plate between Fig. 13 is a section on line 13 13 55 inexpensive durable tread is formed, every portion of whose tread or wear surface is practically of equal durability, so that the wear-surface is not worn into a groovetl condition, as heretofore, where steel strips have alternated with parallel lead strips and the lead has been more rapidly worn away than the steel, leaving hard metallic surfaces of considerable extent on which persons frequently have slipped.

In the preferred construction (illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) the lead or other nonslipping material l) is arranged in rows which comprise wear-points a and are separated by the low strip-like portions u? of the plate. By this construction I am enabled to cheapen the construction of the treads because a relatively small quantity of softer metal is required.

I am the first, so far as known to me, to make a tread by combining non-slipping material with a sheet-ni etal plate having wear-surfaces oflimited eXtent,preferablypoints,and means for interlocking the same together, and I desire to claim my invention in the broadest legally-permissible manner. Sheet-metal plates for this purpose possess very important advantages over the cast and grooved plates heretofore used, as the sheet-metal plates are lighter in weight, cheaper to construct, and the wear-points present in the wear-surface material less hard metal on which to slip.

y Another striking advantage of my new treads lies in the fact that the sheet-metal plate permits the bending of the treads to conform to curved and irregular surfaces.

l. A sheet-metal bed-plate for treads for stairs and other purposes, said plate being formed with integral, outwardly-projecting wearpoints and with holes through it.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a tread for stairs and other purposes made up of a bed-plate provided with holes formed by cutting said plate and bending outward the cut portions, the lateral edges of adjacent cut portions being separated from each other by the uncut portions of said bed-plate; and nonslipping material secured between the faces and the lateral edges of said cut portions.

In a tread for stairs and other purposes, the combination of a bed-plate provided with holes formed by cutting said plate and bending outward the cnt portions; said outwardlybent integral portions of said bed-plate; and non-slipping material secured between said bent integral portions.

4. In a tread for stairs and other purposes, the combination of a bed-plate provided with holes formed by cutting said plate and bendingontward the cnt portions; said outwardlybent integral portions having retaining means formed on their faces; and non-slipping material secured between said bent integral portions.

5. In a tread for stairs and otherpurposes, the combination of a sheet-metal plate having wear-surfaces and holes through its body portion of a non-slipping material between said wear-surfaces and passing through said holes and anchored upon the back of the plate.

G. As a new article of manufacture, a tread for stairs and other purposes made up of a bed-plate provided with upwardly-projecting wear-surfaces, said wear-surfaces being separated from each other transversely and longitudinally by portions of said bed-plate; and non-slipping material laid transversely and longitudinally across and on said bed-plate and engaging said wear-surfaces on the sides.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature Witnesses:

E. A. ALLEN, RICHARD P. ELLIOTT. 

